Dominions 4 video...huh??

[JasonPratt]

I'm guessing that if a Dominions 5 ever shows up with a new and somewhat fancy gfx engine, it'll probably be a very long time until it happens.

Or perhaps not a very long time: Dom4 is for all intents and purposes Dom3Gold, a paid feature-patch on the game (which is fair considering the entirely unpaid work they've done on patching the game since Dom3, and Dom2 for that matter.) They're in a position to profit seriously now that they're out from under Shrapnel's thumb, and might be able to afford to hire new graphic designers (and commission a larger score from the folk musicians, no reason to change them any just need more than three tunes. :) ) Dom5 could show up in two years with a UI and graphical overhaul, plus improvements to the things they're already trying.

[Tpek]

http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions

::)

[son_of_montfort]

http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions

::)

That has been up for months, just FYI. He pushed back the release date (was supposed to be last week) to later in September. He did say that we might get beta access for preordering, just so people can start messing around with the unfinished game.

[Tpek]

http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions

::)

That has been up for months, just FYI. He pushed back the release date (was supposed to be last week) to later in September. He did say that we might get beta access for preordering, just so people can start messing around with the unfinished game.

Sorry, didn't see this before, and Desura advertised it as new (for pre-order).

[Tpek]

The beta is now supposed to be available for download.

[Nefaro]

The beta is now supposed to be available for download.

Confirmed.

Just started d/l'ing the "Preorder EXE Installer" from Desura.

If the release has been delayed, there are obviously some bugs left.  Hopefully nothing big, but it's always a good idea to release a beta version early for pre-orderers to spread out the testing to a wider group.

[Nefaro]

There are definitely some notable changes in Dom4.  Aside from the new nations, spells, etc. 

One biggie is that damage type resistances were changed from percentages to a flat number.  So no more total immunity, I suppose.  Probably best for balance that way, although I would think thugs & super-combatants will now be easier to kill.

[Yskonyn]

Ohhh! We can have a sneak peek at Dom 4!
I will be able to download in a few hours. Excitement !

Eventhough resistances are now a flat number there are bound to be spells to increase that number. If they stack you can come pretty close to Immunity I would expect?

Does the beta come with the new manual yet?

[Nefaro]

Does the beta come with the new manual yet?

It's not in the install folder.  I don't think it's out yet.

[Yskonyn]

Ok.. where do I find my gamekey? I didn't receive an email from Desura.
I can't find any purchase history on Desura's website either... :S

EDIT: Nevermind, I found a link in the original purchase confirmation email from Desura. Aparently there is a 'CD Keys' section in your account page on the website, but I can't find it without clicking on the link in that old email...
Desura would do well to make their website more intuitive.
Anyway.. I have found it and have started the beta.

BIG surprise number one! Caelum now are NORMAL sized beings and not the tiny people they used to be! This pretty much changes the complete playing field for the entire nation and I am excited to find out how many strategies will now be viable again because size isn't a problem anymore! :D

Caelum shall rise again!

[Huw the Poo]

Desura would do well to make their website more intuitive.

Desura's website is shit, I agree.  It doesn't stop me buying from them but...damn.

[Nefaro]

Ok.. where do I find my gamekey? I didn't receive an email from Desura.
I can't find any purchase history on Desura's website either... :S

I posted how to find your Key on Desura, in the comments section (as "nefariouskoel" IIRC), in case anyone else needs directions.

As for the changes in Dominions 4.. there look to be quite a few.  They may not look outwardly large, but a lot of the little game mechanic details have had additions or changes.  Looks to be a lot of rebalancing of stuff.

[mikeck]

I can't wait for this one too. September is a gaming shotgun blast...Rome, Dominions and Command! Whaaat!

[Nefaro]

I can't wait for this one too. September is a gaming shotgun blast...Rome, Dominions and Command! Whaaat!

Umm.. you don't have to wait if you don't want to. 

The beta version of Dominions 4 was just released today on Desura.  That's what all the jive-talkin' is about in here, turkey.  ;D

[Yskonyn]

One of the first and biggest things so far I've found is the abolishment of the tax system;

Here's a quote from the desura forums on the reasoning why:

I wonder if removing the control over taxes had less to do with micromanagement and more to due with 200% taxation being used in place of the pillage mechanics. Why pillage with an army, when you can simply set taxes to 200% and move on. The army is less vulnerable because it is moving (guess where it will go next), money is gained and the province is damaged. The only thing you don't get are the supplies, but at the same time you can raid more provinces.

On which Kris (one of the devs) responds:

A little of both. Tax 200 was as mcdjfp said a more effective way of pillaging a province, than the pillage order.
It was a strange mechanic, at least if you call it 200% tax.
If you take more than the surplus production, why limit yourself at 200% and not take everything.
How happy will people become if you don't take taxes for some months.
I had some ideas on longterm morale losses and loyalties, but dominions was not intended to be a game of national economics (although I would enjoy it).
So we did simplify the taxing with the intention that it would remove some (possibly fun) unaesthetic micromanagement options. I'm of the opinion that advanced mechanics doesn't serve a purpose in them selves.

I hope you do not find the new mechanic too dumbed down.

This, and of course Caelum now being a normal competitive nation now (in EA at least, haven't checked the other ages yet) and from what I gather the difference between the commander units is now more pronounced and result in a much clearer goal as what to do with them. I have little knowlegde of other nations, but as for Caelum is was not too clear what a given advantage of the one commander vs the other was at times.

Liking what I see so far!